Portable shelter



Sept. 4, 1962 c. w. MOSS PORTABLE SHELTER Filed May 27, 1959 INVENTOR.

CHARLES W. MOSS FINN G. OLSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi ice Patented Sept. 4, 1962 3,9523% PORTABLE SHELTER Charles W. Moss, 1415 llcechwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Mich. Filed May 27, 1959, Ser. No. 816,6?6 8 Claims. (Cl. 135--1) The present invention relates to portable shelters, and more particularly to shelters of this character which are completely self-sustaining units when erected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter which is constructed and arranged so that it has a frame assembly and cover characterized by their simplicity and low cost and wherein the cover cooperates in holding the frame in a sprung position whereby the frame fully distends. the cover.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character wherein the top portion of the cover is dome-shaped, but is relatively flat so as to provide a shelter having maximum head room throughout the interior of the shelter.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character having a frame assembly and cover which are constructed and arranged so that they can be quickly and easily unfolded and erected, and which when erected have no internal obstructions to limit the use of the shelter to its occupants.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character which utilizes a novel frame assembly comprising a plurality of independent rib structures having relatively rigid opposite end portions adapted to fit into diagonally opposite corners of the cover and a flexible intermediate portion adapted to be flexed into a generally inverted U-shape for 'distending the upper portion of the shelter.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character wherein the aforesaid rib structures are constructed and arranged so that the flexible intermediate portion can be flexed a greater extent at certain locations therein so as to conform to the shape of the cover and to distend the latter into its intended shape.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character wherein the rib structures can be disassembled into a plurality of straight sections and thereafter, together with the cover, can be converted into a package of relatively small dimensions.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable shelter of the foregoing character wherein the cover may be formed from conventional woven fabrics or, where a low cost item is desired, the cover can be made from suitable low cost, non-woven fabric.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable shelter embodying one form of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one corner of the portable shelter illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and (at of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, a more detailed description of the invention will be made. The portable shelter is indicated generally by the reference number m, and includes the cover 12. and the frame assembly 14.

The cover 12 may be formed from any suitable material, and the illustrated embodiment employs a nonwoven bonded fabric having a cross laid web of thread held together by an adhesive, and a cellulose coating is applied to the opposite sides of the web forming the opposite surfaces of the materials. The cover manufactured in this manner is water repellent and is very light in weight. If desired, the cover can also be formed from any conventional woven fabric.

The cover 12 has a normally fiat base portion 16 to which are secured or fastened the side walls 18, 2t), 22 and 24. As can be seen best in FIGURES 1 and 3, these side walls are generally upright and have fastened to their upper edges the dome shaped top portion 26. The one side wall 24 has a relatively large opening 28 therein to provide an entrance for the portable shelter 1i), and a flap 3G is attached to the upper edge of the wall 24 so as to provide a closure for the opening 28. In addition, the flap 30 may be used to provide a porchdike covering for the area in front of the portable shelter 10 by use of the poles 32 and lines 34, as is shown in FIGURE 1. The shelter 10 may have a bottom surface (not shown) connected to the inner periphery of the base portion 16, if this is desired.

The frame assembly 14 comprises two rib assemblies 36 and 38, and since they are constructed substantially the same, only the rib assembly 36 will be described in detail. The rib assembly 36 has relatively rigid end portions 40 and 42 which in the present instance are cylindrical rods made from wood. The lower end of each rod has a small pin 44 projecting axially therefrom as can be seen in FIGURE 4. The pin 44 is shown projecting through a small grommet 46 which is formed in the base portion 16 of the cover 12. The grommet 46 is located in the corner formed by the side walls 18 and 20. Similar grommets are located in each of the other three corners. The upper end of each wood rod has an axially extending hole 48 therein, each of which is adapted for receiving an end of the intermediate portion 50 in endto-end relationship. The intermediate portion St? is preferably made from a spring steel rod and normally constitutes a straight extension of the rod 40 when not flexed into the position shown in FIGURE 3. The rod 50 can be seen in its unflexed position in phantom in this figure. In order to reduce the size of the unassembled rib assembly 36,. the intermediate portion is formed in two halves which can be joined together by the ferrule 52. Adjacent the end of the intermediate portion 50 but spaced therefrom is a laterally deflected loop-like projection 54, which is adapted when the portable shelter 10 is erected to project through the small opening formed by the grommet 56 in the top portion 26, at the upper edges of the side walls of the shelter. As can be seen best in FIG- URE 3, the laterally deflected loop-like projections 54 open toward the inner side of the arcuate shape into which the intermediate portion St} is flexed and allow greater flexing here than at other points along the intermediate portion Sil. This is an important feature which allows the cover 12 to be distended to its designed relatively flat dome-shape so that substantially the same head room is provided throughout the portable shelter 10.

The operation of erecting a shelter 10 is a very simple one. Initially, the rib assemblies 36 and 38 are separately assembled so as to form two separate units each having relatively rigid end portions such as are formed by the rods 46 and 42 and a flexible intermediate portion such as is formed by the spring steel rod sections joined by the ferrule 52. The rib assembly 3d is then flexed into the position shown in FIGURE 3 and the pins 44 in opposite ends of the rods 4d and 42 are then inserted through the grommets 46 located in diagonally opposite corners of the cover 12. The mtermediate portion 50 is then positioned so that the ferrule 52 will be at the apex of the top portion 26. The laterally deflected loop-like projections 54 are then pressed through the grommets 56 which are in the diagonally opposite corners of the top portion 26. This latter operation will result in the intermediate portion 50 being held in the arcuate shape illustrated in FIGURE 3 by the top portion 26 which is drawn taut over the upper surface of the intermediate portion 50. The other rib assembly 38 is then inserted in a similar fashion in the other pair of diagonally opposite corners of the cover 12 and secured in place in the proper grommets.

As can be readily understood, this assembly operation can be carried out very quickly and when it is completed, a completely self sustaining portable shelter has been erected. It will be observed that no center pole or other obstruction is present within the shelter to limit its use, Furthermore, the tent structure will always have a neat appearance because the top portion 26 will always be fully distended by the upwardly bowed intermediate portion 50. In this respect it is also to be observed that the intermediate portion 59 functions to urge the wooden rods or relatively rigid end portions 40 and 42 firmly into the corners of the cover thereby always keeping the side walls taut.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable shelter comprising a plurality of rib structures each having relatively rigid end portions forming extensions of an intermediate portion having resilient properties enabling it to be flexed into an arcuate shape, each intermediate portion having lateral projections near the junctures with the rigid end portions, and a cover of flexible material having a plurality of side walls and a top portion joined to the upper edges of said side walls and distensible into a dome-like shape, said cover having first sockets in its base at the corners formed by each pair of connected side walls and other sockets above the first named sockets at the edges of the top portion, said rib structures being of such numbers so that one structure normally is positioned between each pair of diagonally opposite corners, each rib structure being flexed so that its rigid end portions have their remote end in a pair of sockets in said base and the lateral projections of its intermediate portion are in sockets at the edges of said top portion, said rigid end portions having a shorter length then the height of said side walls so that said intermediate portions will urge their associated end portions laterally outwardly into their respective corners, and said rib structures being of such length as to distend said cover fully when said structures are in their normally assembled positions within said cover.

2. A portable shelter comprising a plurality of rib assemblies each having relatively rigid end portions forming extensions of an intermediate portion with said intermediate portion having resilient properties enabling it to be flexed into an arcuate shape, each intermediate portion having laterally deflected loop-like projections adjacent their connections with said end portions, and a cover of flexible material having a plurality of side walls and a top portion joined to the upper edges of said side walls and distensible into a dome-like shape, said cover having first sockets in its base at the corners formed by each pair of adjacent side walls and other sockets above the first named sockets at the edges of the top portion, said rib assemblies being of such numbers so that one assembly normally is positioned between each pair of diagonally opposite corners, each rib assembly being flexed so that its rigid end portions have their remote ends in a pair of diagonally opposite sockets in said base and the loop-like projections of its intermediate portion are in a pair of sockets at the edges of said top portion, the intermediate portions of said rib assemblies passing through the apex of said top portion and distending the same into said dome-like shape.

3. A port-able shelter comprising a plurality of rib assemblies each having relatively rigid end portions joined with an intermediate portion as extensions thereof in abutting end-to-end relation with said intermediate portion having resilient properties enabling it .to be flexed into an :arcuate shape, each intermediate portion having laterally deflected loop-like projections adjacent its connections with said end portions, said loop-like projections being open to the inside of the arcuate shape when said intermediate portion is so flexed so as to provide greater deflection at said projections than elsewhere along the length of said intermediate portion, and a cover of flexible material having a plurality of side walls and a top portion joined to the upper edges of said side walls and distensible into a dome-like shape, said cover having first sockets in its base at the corners formed by each pair of adjacent side walls and other sockets above the first named sockets at the edges of the top portion, said rib assemblies being of such numbers so that one assembly normally is positioned between each pair of diagonally opposite corners, each rib assembly being flexed so that its rigid end portions have their remote ends in a pair of diagonally opposite sockets in said base and the looplike projections of its intermediate portion are in a pair of sockets at the edges of said top portion, the intermedi ate portions of said rib assemblies passing through the apex of said top portion and distending the same into said dome-like shape.

4. A portable shelter comprising a plurality of elongated rib assemblies each having relatively rigid end portions with an intermediate port-ion therebetween having resilient properties enabling it to be flexed into an arcuate shape, each intermediate portion having lateral loop-like projections adjacent but spaced from the rigid end portions so as to provide relatively short flexible segments of the intermediate portion between each loop-like projection and the associated rigid end portion, said loop-like projections being open to the inside of the arcuate shape when said intermediate portion is so flexed so as to provide greater deflection at said projections than elsewhere along the length of the intermediate portion, and a cover of flexible material having a plurality of side walls and a top portion joined to the upper edges of said side walls and distensible into a dome-like shape, said cover having first sockets in its base at the corners formed by each pair of adjacent side Walls and other sockets above the first named sockets at the edges of the top portion, said rib assemblies being of such numbers so that one assembly normally is positioned between each pair of diagonally opposite corners, each rib assembly being flexed so that its rigid end portions have their remote ends in a pair of diagonally opposite sockets in said base and the loop-like projections of its intermediate portion are in a pair of sockets at the edges of said top portion, the intermediate portions of said rib assemblies passing through the apex of said top portion, said rigid end portions having a shorter length than the height of said side walls so that said short flexible segments will urge the rigid end portions into the corners of the cover while the remainder of the intermediate portions distend said cover into the domelike shape.

5. A portable shelter comprising a plurality of elongated rib structures including intermediate portions iormed from spring steel rods having resilient properties enabling such intermediate portions to be flexed into atcuate shapes, each intermediate portion having a pair of spaced laterally deflected loop-like projections, a cover of flexible material having a plurality of side walls and a top portion joined to the upper edges of said top walls and distensible into a dome-like shape, said cover having first sockets at its base at the corners formed by said side Walls and other sockets above the first named sockets at the edges of the top portion, said rib structures being positioned between pairs of diagonally opposite corners, each rib structure being flexed so that the remote ends are in a pair of diagonally opposite first sockets and the lateral projections of its intermediate portion are in sockets thereaoove at the edges of said top portion, the intermediate portions of said lib structures being flexed and of such length so as to distend said top portion fully when in their assembled positions within said cover.

6. A pontable shelter as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first sockets and said other sockets are grommets formed in the flexible material of said cover.

7. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 5 wherein said rib structures are each formed in a plurality of sections joined as extensions in abutting end-to-end relation.

8. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 5 wherein 6 said loop-like projections are open to the inside of the areuate shape when each of said intermediate portions is so flexed, thereby to provide greater deflections at said projections than elsewhere along the length of each intermediate portion.

References tlited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 809,546 Wever Jan. 9, 1906 992,383 Paul May 16, 1911 1,079,757 Gould Nov. 25, 1913 1,818,545 Eriksson Aug. 11, 1931 1,820,002 Forrester Aug. 18, 1931 1,927,387 Bixenstein Sept. 19, 1933 2,159,273 Killi-nger May 23, 1939 2,555,220 Brown May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 86,403 Norway Oct. 31, 1955 

